Stu Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 That's a good point. If we want to fill more seats, we need to play to more seats. That's why I've been suggesting that we move the press box judges around. Place them in a different location at each show, without giving the corps advance notice....this would force corps to design shows to communicate to the whole concert-side seating area, rather than focusing solely on the press box. I agree with you about needing to play to a wider audience, but please address this issue: I am a fan who purchased a top row 50 yard line seat for $120; and during the evening I discover the corps are now playing an equal portion of their show directed toward the person who is on the bottom row on the ten yard line and that person paid just $25. I am now angry because I was supposed to be paying that huge extra amount to get better viewing and better sound than the $25 seat. It is your job to calm my anger and make sure I return next year once again purchasing the $120 seat. How would you handle that (which would occur I guarantee it). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield Posted December 23, 2011 Author Share Posted December 23, 2011 I agree with you about needing to play to a wider audience, but please address this issue: I am a fan who purchased a top row 50 yard line seat for $120; and during the evening I discover the corps are now playing an equal portion of their show directed toward the person who is on the bottom row on the ten yard line and that person paid just $25. I am now angry because I was supposed to be paying that huge extra amount to get better viewing and better sound than the $25 seat. It is your job to calm my anger and make sure I return next year once again purchasing the $120 seat. How would you handle that (which would occur I guarantee it). Simple. All seats are now $75. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield Posted December 23, 2011 Author Share Posted December 23, 2011 Actually, when thinking about Stu's complaint of the "cheap seats" getting a better show, the illogic reveals itself. Even if the corps put extra emphasis on presentation to the "wings", in order to cover both wings (remember, they don't know where the judges are), they would have to cross past the 50. In this logic the play past the middle more frequently than either end. And when the corps is down on the ten, the middle still has a better show than the folks down on the other ten yard line. The middle will still be the better show. Frankly, because the "cheap seats" then get a better show for part of the performance, you could leave the 50 yard line seats priced at $120 and bump the prices for the wings. More revenue in direct relation to a better show. Perfect for all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 Simple. All seats are now $75. But, there is no real practical way to overcome the limitations of the venue. In reality not all seats are equal; line of sight, acoustics, angle placement of the field in relation to the seat, are all factors which increase, or degrade, the quality of experience; even if shows were designed to play toward them. A person sitting on the 50 can still relate to and enjoy the corps playing to the people on the 5 because the line of sight and accoustical differentials are not that extreme; but the people on the 5 will not receive much entertainment value at all when the corps plays to the other 5 on the other end of the stadium. And who in their right mind would pay $75 to watch from a degraded line of sight, degraded acoustical experience, when that same $75 places you in a seat which gives the best option to watch/hear the entire performance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 Ok, adjusting show design to perform to all patrons is a legitimate discussion (and it has just started in this thread about moving judges to the sides to help with that issue). However, that issue, though related, was not what was being discussed. A way to expose more people to the activity with creative entertainment at art festivals to put more butts in the seats was the topic at hand. So, you would be in favor of something like that if show design was tweaked to perform to the newer patrons sitting in the wings, correct? yes, but you can't have one without the other, which was my point. todays shows arent designed for the common Joe to get it. so if you send an ensemble to a fair and have them play Glee's greatest hits, then you sell tickets for $20 to go to the show and from the 10 yard line they see shows like "Death of a Unicorn in 4 movements with songs you never heard of"..... what's the odds they'll come back? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 I agree with you about needing to play to a wider audience, but please address this issue: I am a fan who purchased a top row 50 yard line seat for $120; and during the evening I discover the corps are now playing an equal portion of their show directed toward the person who is on the bottom row on the ten yard line and that person paid just $25. I am now angry because I was supposed to be paying that huge extra amount to get better viewing and better sound than the $25 seat. It is your job to calm my anger and make sure I return next year once again purchasing the $120 seat. How would you handle that (which would occur I guarantee it). easy. adjust pricing to be more level throughout the stadium Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 Actually, when thinking about Stu's complaint of the "cheap seats" getting a better show, the illogic reveals itself. Even if the corps put extra emphasis on presentation to the "wings", in order to cover both wings (remember, they don't know where the judges are), they would have to cross past the 50. In this logic the play past the middle more frequently than either end. And when the corps is down on the ten, the middle still has a better show than the folks down on the other ten yard line. The middle will still be the better show. Frankly, because the "cheap seats" then get a better show for part of the performance, you could leave the 50 yard line seats priced at $120 and bump the prices for the wings. More revenue in direct relation to a better show. Perfect for all. So, a show that was designed directly to, and completely for, my $120 seat is now split into the corps directing part of their attention to the sides of me!! I am therefore not getting the same $120 show value I was getting and either need a refund or a lower ticket price to compensate for that loss of performance direction toward my seat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 (edited) easy. adjust pricing to be more level throughout the stadium Slightly, yep slightly lower the prices of the 50 yard line seats when the show directions are more evenly distributed to the sides. This also coincides with the philosophy of it is better to sell two $99 tickets than just one $120 ticket. But, I would not increase the current price of the end seats until the economy is better and DCI has more fans (the supply/demand thing). This, along with the discounts for the end seats available to the public who see the small entertainment at the arts fest, would have a good shot at both increasing revenue and increasing audience numbers. Edited December 23, 2011 by Stu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield Posted December 23, 2011 Author Share Posted December 23, 2011 So, a show that was designed directly to, and completely for, my $120 seat is now split into the corps directing part of their attention to the sides of me!! I am therefore not getting the same $120 show value I was getting and either need a refund or a lower ticket price to compensate for that loss of performance direction toward my seat. I actually sit on the 50, Stu, and I wouldn't care. I'd get a great show, no matter. Remember Bluecoats cranking out Rocky on the 25? I was on the 50 and I loved it. Now, had I been on the other 25 I probably wouldn't have liked it as much, but that's why the seats are cheaper there. Plus, likely that Blue would have done something similar on the other 25 during the same show if they were trying to play to the judge over there. My view is that everyone, including those in the "best" seats need to compromise for the benefit of greater fans in the seats. Charge more for the wing seats and don't give me quite the show as if it were played to the 50. I'm fine with that. (What bugs me more are the people who pay $25 and then float around the 50 looking for an empty seat. It's disruptive and it's not fair. But then, I never have to search for a good seat and take my chances at missing the greatest show of the season. It all evens out, I suppose.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield Posted December 23, 2011 Author Share Posted December 23, 2011 Slightly, yep slightly lower the prices of the 50 yard line seats when the show directions are more evenly distributed to the sides. This also coincides with the philosophy of it is better to sell two $99 tickets than just one $120 ticket. But, I would not increase the current price of the end seats until the economy is better and DCI has more fans (the supply/demand thing). This, along with the discounts for the end seats available to the public who see the small entertainment at the arts fest, would have a good shot at both increasing revenue and increasing audience numbers. It would go like this: Rules are changed to float judges around the stadium (home side only ) Shows would be more entertaining in the wings so prices would have to be adjusted. A better show equals more fans willing to pay the higher price in the wings. To wait for the seats to fill before raising prices is wrong. Demand is created by perceived value (or actual value in this case). Raising the prices and providing a better show will create demand. If you wait until the seats are full, what's the line to cross? Do you wait until the whole home side is full before raising prices? That would be a waste of revenue and, when you do raise prices, you'd see attendance fall back to less-than-full again. Do you raise prices per 10-yard sections? When the seats between the 20 and 30 fill up then you raise the prices? Won't work that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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